title: Testosterone replacement therapy in hypogonadal men is associated with increased expression of LAMP-2 (CD107b) by circulating monocytes and dendritic cells.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Accumulated experimental data indicates that androgen therapy has effects on inflammation and protects from autoimmune disorders. Despite this, the in vivo effects of testosterone replacement therapy on human antigen-presenting cells-for example, monocytes and dendritic cells- remain unknown.
  We monitored the effects of testosterone replacement therapy on the number and the functionality -as assessed by the expression of CD107b (lysosome-associated membrane protein 2, LAMP-2)- of resting and in vitro-stimulated peripheral blood (classical and nonclassical) monocytes and dendritic cells (myeloid and plasmacytoid) from hypogonadal men.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Our results show that testosterone replacement therapy induces overexpression of CD107b by circulating monocytes and dendritic cells from hypogonadal men, both under resting (i.e. nonstimulated) conditions and after in vitro stimulation. CD107b overexpression mostly involved monocytes and in vitro stimulation with CpG oligodeoxynucleotides. Of note, a strong correlation was found between CD107b expression on monocytes and serum gonadotrophins levels.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These results support the existence of an effect of testosterone therapy, and potentially also of gonadotrophins, on circulating antigen-presenting cells.
authors.affiliation: Servicio de Endocrinología, Departamento de Medicina, Hospital Universitario de Salamanca, Salamanca, Spain.
authors.forename: J J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Corrales
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Almeida
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Martín-Martín
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Miralles
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Orfao
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003713:Dendritic Cells / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D020249:Hormone Replacement Therapy; D006801:Humans; D007006:Hypogonadism / Q000188:drug therapy*; D052119:Lysosomal-Associated Membrane Protein 2 / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D008297:Male; D009000:Monocytes / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D009838:Oligodeoxyribonucleotides / Q000494:pharmacology; D013739:Testosterone / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: C497811:LAMP2 protein, human; D052119:Lysosomal-Associated Membrane Protein 2; D009838:Oligodeoxyribonucleotides; D013739:Testosterone; C010792:testosterone undecanoate